In copending patent application Ser. No. 08/557,269, filed Nov. 14, 1995, U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,165 and entitled, "WIRELESS, FREQUENCY-AGILE SPREAD SPECTRUM GROUND LINK-BASED AIRCRAFT DATA COMMUNICATION SYSTEM," the disclosure which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, a ground data link system provides a wireless mechanism for transferring data files to and from an aircraft while the aircraft is on the ground at ground data link equipped airports. Flight performance data representative of aircraft flight performance is obtained during flight of the aircraft and stored in a data store.
The system works in an unlicensed frequency band with low power limits having limited range. A typical maximum output is about 1 watt. The system is used at an airport equipped with ground data link equipment. There are times, however, when some data such as airline identification tail numbers and airline location while airborne in proximity to an airport was desirably relayed to the air traffic controller of an airport equipped with the ground data link unit system.